


Always

by aj_linguistik



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga), ソードアート・オンライン - 川原礫 | Sword Art Online - Kawahara Reki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, One Shot, Reference to Canon-Compliant Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 08:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20850443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aj_linguistik/pseuds/aj_linguistik
Summary: Bercouli seemed to think Kirito wasn't an ordinary person from the Human Empire. Maybe there was some truth to that.A one-shot musing sort of.





	Always

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I couldn't really do much with this idea. It didn't stick in my head, but my tumblr and discord buddy Kyzil suggested it, so I wrote a one-shot based on it. *grumble* It feels awkward. Oh well.

“_That fighting style reminds me of knights from the Dark Territory._”

Words I’d denied most openly. What did Bercouli know about Kirito, anyways? I’d spent two years with him. We were best friends—partners. Perhaps we were more than just that. He’d only just met Kirito. He couldn’t possibly know anything about him, right? Yet I stood here, staring at his back, dumbfounded, as Administrator revealed the truth. Well, I’d never have believed her. Who would, after hearing what Cardinal had said? But.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Kirito said, without missing a beat. “I’m from the Dark Territory. I came here as an exile and decided to warn you that your Integrity Knights wouldn’t be enough, but your arrogance goes beyond even my understanding.”

“Kirito…?” I mumbled.

It couldn’t be true. People from the Dark Territory didn’t look like him, did they? They were goblins and other twisted looking creatures, right? I thought at first that he had to be bluffing. But fast-forward to the part where I’m dying from my injuries after the fight—that’s when it really sunk in.

“D-don’t bother, Kirito…” I managed.

He shook his head.

“You’re going to be fine, Eugeo,” he said, giving me a stressed smile.

He chanted something unfamiliar. Instead of the familiar light of the magic of sacred arts, this power was dark. But I stopped focusing on that for a moment as feeling returned to my lower half. I forced myself to sit up and saw that I was in one piece again. Kirito finally stopped chanting and sat back, panting. I blinked at him.

“Was that…?” I trailed off.

He gave me a small nod.

“Dark arts,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

I didn’t know what to say at first. I didn’t want to believe this. What was a lie and what wasn’t now? My heart raced. He’d saved me—I must mean something to him. But why was he here? If he was exiled, was he still aligned with the Dark Territory in some ways? He’d insisted he’d come here to warn the leader of the Human Empire, but…

“My memory returned when we fought Raios and Humbert, back at the Swordcraft Academy,” he said. “I didn’t know when I should tell you. I almost felt like I was betraying you. I’m from the Dark Territory, like…I shouldn’t get to be friends with you.”

I sat all of the way up and turned to face him.

“I don’t think where you came from makes a difference,” I said. “I just want to know why you’re here.”

He chuckled and smiled. He tucked his legs up into his chest and hugged them tightly. There was a mischievous smile on his face, as if he were a child telling me a big secret. I patiently waited for him to speak.

“I was banished for wanting to be diplomatic with the Human Empire,” he said. “I thought for certain the ruler of this empire would be able to be reasoned with. I’d made up my mind to come and convince her myself, but I was arrested and found guilty of treason for wanting to collude with Administrator. They wiped my memory and sent me clueless and wandering into the forest at the edge of the End Mountains.”

I relaxed a bit.

“And that’s…how you met me,” I concluded.

Kirito nodded.

“Funny how we both thought a god had picked me up and placed me there,” he said, chuckling again. “But really, I was just a man whose memory had been taken right before I was dropped off in the middle of nowhere. Luckily for me, you worked far enough out that I ran into you that day. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened to me.”

I went and sat next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“I’m glad you found me, too,” I said.

He looked at me, raising his eyebrows.

“You’re not mad?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Maybe I do wish you’d have told me when you remembered,” I said. “But I could see why you were hesitant to tell me. It’s not every day you learn your best friend is from the place trying to invade your home and kill everyone.”

Kirito stifled a laugh.

“When you put it that way…” he said.

I bumped my shoulder against his a little.

“I’m messing with you,” I said. “Everyone in one place doesn’t think the same thing or agree with the same things. Just because your people want to invade mine, it doesn’t mean that you want to hurt us.”

There was a soft smile on his lips. His eyes glistened. He nodded.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone if I can avoid it,” he said. “People don’t deserve to die just because they disagree with one another. That’s why I wanted to stop this war before it happened. And now it looks like it’ll happen just because your leader’s gone.”

I placed one hand on his knee. He frowned.

“You still can,” I said. “I meant what I said.”

He lowered his head a little.

“Kirito…you really are a hero,” I said. “It doesn’t matter that you came from the Dark Territory. You’re here to help us now. That’s all that matters. Even if no one else believes so, you’re a hero. You’re _my_ hero.”

I stood up and offered him my hand. His frown vanished. He stared at my hand.

“Come on,” I said, nodding my head. “Why don’t you, me, and Alice go stop a war?”

That all-too-familiar smirk appeared on his face. I smiled back. He grasped my hand and let me help him back up to his feet. We did a little handshake we’d made up, and then we shared a hug to let out the tension of the battle.

“That sounds like a great idea, Eugeo,” he said.

I nodded.

“I know.”

We shared a look.

“Thanks,” he said.

“For?”

Kirito chuckled. He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile that stopped my heart.

“For trusting me.”

I returned his smile. It didn’t matter where Kirito came from. I’d trust him with my life again and again.

“Always,” I said.


End file.
